Ford Fiesta Metal (From York Press)

Ford Fiesta Metal

9:40am Friday 30th December 2011 in Road Test By Steve Nelson

IF you are looking to join the huge throng of Ford Fiesta owners, then you will find it difficult – from the outside at least – to stand out from the crowd.

We are, after all, talking here about Britain’s best-selling car by a country mile.

But Ford now has something for those seeking a more purposeful Fiesta and one with an engine to provide old-school hot-hatch thrills.

With a 0-to-62mph time of 8.7 seconds, the Ford Fiesta Metal is more warm than hot, but the price at under £16,000 won’t burn your fingers.

What it will do is put you behind the wheel of the fastest of the new Fiestas to date, and one of only 1,000 examples to be made.

However, I should give a word of warning here. If you are looking for a genuine modern-day hot hatch, then look elsewhere. The Fiesta’s acceleration figure could never be described as disappointing, but if you are searching for a thriller, then the Renaultsport stable may be more your cup of tea.

The three-door Metal version of the Fiesta comes with a lowered ride height and a set of striking 17-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels in Panther Black. Those two features alone set it apart from the pack, but there is a lot more to distinguish it from its stablemates.

Other notable exterior features are a rear spoiler, side skirts, chrome twin exhaust tailpipes and bodycoloured front and rear bumper skirts.

Inside, there are also several eyecatching touches for your money, including delicious sports front seats in black leather with silver stitching, a three-spoke leather steering wheel, alloy pedals, piano black centre stack bezel, stainless steel door scuff plates and a four-speaker audio system with DAB radio and i- Pod connectivity.

The key to the latest-generation Fiesta’s success has in a large part been down to the way it drives. No other manufacturer has managed to produce a chassis to match that of the Fiesta.

A search for the Fiesta Metal’s DNA will lead you to the Zetec S version, which employs a similarly-sized engine but with a lower power output.

The Fiesta is a very quiet car to drive – although the Metal version has a more rasping note as you press on – and it has the slickest of gearboxes.

In a sector fiercely fought over and populated by excellent rivals including the Vauxhall Corsa, Suzuki Swift, Seat Ibiza, Mazda2 and Peugeot 207, Ford raised the bar when it launched the Fiesta three years ago in a bold, dramatic move that heralded a new level of achievement for manufacturers of big-selling small cars.

It looks so fine, handles so well and incorporates so many pleasing features that it’s hard to know where to start. This car is simply packed with all that is good about Ford’s ‘kinetic design’ philosophy.

From the driver’s seat, your eye is drawn to the upper centre console, where the audio controls fan out in the style of a mobile phone, and then to the rotary controls for heating and air conditioning that sit at the base of the centre stack.

Even at high speeds, the Fiesta Metal felt as if it was loving every minute and had still more to offer.

More than 55 per cent of the body structure features high-strength steel to make the Fiesta stronger and stiffer, and also safer in the event of a collision.

There’s a suppleness to the ride that seems to iron out virtually anything, with no trace of vibration or squeaks.

The Fiesta Metal’s standard specification includes an electronic stability programme (ESP), home safe headlights, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD).

It is available in only three colours – Panther Black, Midnight Sky and Frozen White – and you had better hurry if you want one.

factfile

Ford Fiesta Metal

PRICE: £15,695

ENGINE: 1.6-litre TiVCT Duratec petrol, developing 134PS

TRANSMISSION: five-speed manual

PERFORMANCE: 0 to 62mph in 8.7 seconds

ECONOMY: 47.9mpg combined

CO2 RATING: 139 g/km